Associations of Semen Quality with Seminal Non-essential Heavy Metals in Males from the Canary Islands
Semen quality and levels of non-essential metals such as strontium (Sr), aluminum (Al), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and vanadium (V) were measured. Metals were determined by ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectrometry) in semen samples from 102 men who were recruited in a Reprodu...
| Autores: | , , , , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2021 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universidad de La Laguna (ULL) |
| Repositorio: | RIULL. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de La Laguna |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:riull.ull.es:915/35494 |
| Acceso en línea: | http://riull.ull.es/xmlui/handle/915/35494 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Semen Metal exposure Male infertility Body mass index Non-essential metal |
| Sumario: | Semen quality and levels of non-essential metals such as strontium (Sr), aluminum (Al), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and vanadium (V) were measured. Metals were determined by ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectrometry) in semen samples from 102 men who were recruited in a Reproduction Unit in the Canary Islands. The presence of each metal was as follows: Sr: 56.9%, Al: 73.5%, Pb: 45.1%, Ni: 15.7%, and V: 79.4%of the samples. No significant differences were found in the relationship between the spermiogram, the sperm motility, and the concentration of spermatozoa levels of non-essential metals. It is noteworthy that Ni levels tend to be lower in patients with oligozoospermia (t (46.4) = 1.84; p = 0.070). Between lifestyle and non-essential metals, there was a significant relationship between the level of occupational exposure to metals and Ni (χ2(2) = 13.91; p = 0.001). We did not find significant differences in non-essential seminal metal content and smoking status but, there were differences between drinkers and the concentration ofV in semen (t (100) = −1.99; p = 0.050). The occupational exposure to metals and place of residence have effects on Al and V levels in semen. Regarding obesity, significant differences were found in Pb levels (t (18.0) = 2.34; p = 0.031). Obese patients have a lower Pb level, and the percentage of progressive sperm motility was lower in obese men (t (98) = 2.14; p = 0.035). The detection of metals in semen opens a new field in the study of male infertility with the possibility of performing treatments aimed at correcting these possible anomalies. |
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